1. Real Weddings

A Rustic Beach Wedding at Sonesta Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Not afraid to make their day their own, Jessie Gabel (30 and a law professor) and Ryan Cino (30 and a chief technology officer) added fun details thro

Not afraid to make their day their own, Jessie Gabel (30 and a law professor) and Ryan Cino (30 and a chief technology officer) added fun details throughout their wedding decor. They set the tone early with their blue and white invitation suite decorated with their thumbprints stamped in the shape of a heart. The RSVP cards were not just a simple yes or no; instead, they said things like, “I would never dream of missing it! But I will remind you regularly of how far I had to travel for this (response limited to family members only),” and, “I don’t know who you people are or how you got my address. Leave me alone! (Oh, and congrats on your coming nuptials).” Wanting their beach wedding to eschew tradition, the two decided to have a rustic theme complete with reclaimed wood and mason jars. What they really wanted was a rustic barn on a beach to set the tone for their shabby-chic day, and they found exactly what they were looking for. “We knew the minute we set foot on the Pavilion at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head that we'd be getting married there,” Jessie says. “I had kept saying (mostly joking) that our perfect wedding would be a rustic barn on a beach. This is about as close as you can come. And we knew instantly that David Leffew -- the venue coordinator -- was our guy. He was just fabulous in working with us on all of the details and helping us stay in budget. He's pretty much a member of the family at this point.” Our favorite part, though, was the subtle tribute to Super Pi Day in honor of their March 14 wedding date (3-14-15 -- the first five digits of the infinite number). “We got married on Super Pi Day, and since we are both math and science geeks, it fit us perfectly,” Jessie says. “We had a lot of pi-themed elements, including mini moon pies for favors that we called Honeymoon Pis. We had a wood sign that said, ‘Eat cake, love pi.’” See all of our favorite details, beautifully captured by Erika Brown Photography, below.

The blue and white invitation suite was decorated with Jessie and Ryan’s thumbprints stamped in the shape of a heart with “the perfect match” written underneath. The RSVP cards were ultra fun with yes and no options that said things like, “I’m in your wedding party, genius. Wait, is this optional?” and, “I don’t know who you people are or how you got my address. Leave me alone! (Oh, and congrats on your coming nuptials).”
Jessie wanted her bridesmaids to choose dresses that flattered their bodies and styles. They opted for Alfred Angelo periwinkle dresses and picked whatever style they wanted as long as it was floor-length (since Jessie loved the way it complemented her dress).
“I saw this Demetrios dress online and had been stalking it for a couple of months,” Jessie says. “It was very artistic and modern. I wanted a dramatic showstopper gown, and I thought that this dress might be it, but I also didn't want it to be a disappointment if it looked horrible on me. I finally got the courage to try it on and I cried. It was the only dress that made me cry, so I knew that it was the one.”
Jessie carried a lush white, champagne and blush bouquet of roses and hydrangeas. She wanted to keep her flowers simple and chic to complement her rustic beach wedding.
“I wore platform white sneakers with periwinkle laces,” Jessie says. “I’m a runner, so the shoes were totally me -- and I was able to dance all night long.”
Rustic Brown Paper Ceremony Programs
“We knew the minute we set foot on the Pavilion at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head that we'd be getting married there,” Jessie says. “I had kept saying (mostly joking) that our perfect wedding would be a rustic barn on a beach. This is about as close as you can come. And we knew instantly that David Leffew -- the venue coordinator -- was our guy. He was just fabulous in working with us on all of the details and helping us stay in budget. He's pretty much a member of the family at this point.”
The bridesmaids carried white spider mums, blush and ivory roses, white hydrangeas and dusty miller in their bouquets. Jessie wanted the floral arrangements to be simple and chic to complement the rustic beach wedding theme.
Personalized Blue Sunglass Wedding Favors
Guests signed wooden Jenga puzzle pieces for a fun, alternative twist on the usual guest book. Jessie and Ryan put the Jenga pieces, their vows and a bottle of wine in a box for them to open every anniversary to remember their day.
Shabby-Chic Reception With String Lights
Spider Mum and Hydrangea Centerpieces
Since Jessie is both gluten- and sugar-intolerant, she and Ryan made their own carrot cake for them to cut and eat. Guests enjoyed cupcakes, and one of the couple’s friends made a Georgia Tech-themed groom’s cake. The groom’s cake also included a pi sign in honor of their Super Pi Day date (3-14-2015) since they both love math and science.
Glamorous Silver and Pearl Statement Bracelet